Improvement in paper-files



L. P. KEECH.

improvement in Paper-Files.

N0. 132,836. Patented Nov.5,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWSON P. KEEGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN B. SMITH AND ELLEN P. KEEOH, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PAPER-FILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,836, dated November 5, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWSON P. KEEGH, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Paper-Files, of which the following is a specification:

This invention is an improvement upon my invention patented March 26, 187 2, and a reference is hereby made to the said patent.

I make use of swinging metallic connections for the clamping-bars, whereby they are free to be opened or closed when a letter or sheet is inserted or withdrawn, the elastic bands being distended or contracting; but when the ille is opened for inspecting its contents there is no tendency to strain the elastic band at the side next the cover and so loosen the hold of the clamping-bars upon the sheets, because the said metallic connections receive the strain and hold the clamps together.

I make use of a strip of paper connecting one sheet to the next, and also forming the projecting angle, around which the elastic band passes that retains'the sheets in place and also connects the clamps. I also provide a paper back, thatl is attached to one of the Aliy-sheets, and can be folded back to form a cover or back to the letters or papers bound up by the file, especially after the same are removed from the covers.

The index-letters are attached to the sheets by double paper clips that pass upon both sides of the sheets, and are not liable to be pulled oli' or torn.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side view of the file complete; Figure 2 represents the clamps amd the bars or connections; Fig. 3 is a side and edge view of the outside sheet; Fig. 4 is a view of the book detached from the cover, with part of the fly-sheet torn off; Fig.

l5 is a perspective view of the index-leaves and the strip to unite them in pairs; and Fig. 6 is a detached view of the index-letter strip.

The cover is made with the clamps a united to the covers b by flexible material. The clamps a have notches or grooves for the receptioncf the elastic bands c o, as in aforesaid patent. The clamps a are provided with the connecting-links d d that are attached to the clamps near the ends permanently, and

jointed to each other or formed as yielding springs, so that the clamps a can be moved apart sufciertly for the introduction of the sheets of paper or letters to be Iiled; but these links so support the clamping-bars that they can only be moved apart bodily, and cannot separate at the edges next the cover, as before usual; but the contents of the iile are held rmly, so as not to become detached or disarranged when the le or book is opened.

The end or fly sheets f are made, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with a ap or back strip, e, attached to the iirst iiy-sheet at the edge 2, so that the same may be turned around the back of the book formed by the index-leaves and their contents bound or stitched together.

The edge 3 of this iiap e may be attached to the ily-sheet at the other side of the book by adhesive material; thereby the back edges of the ily-leaves, index-sheets, and letters will be covered by a sheet of paper for improving the appearance and receiving marks or indorsement. The separate sheets l that are employed between the letters or documents are shown in Fig. 5, and these are connected in pairs by strips of paper m that correspond with the projections a upon the back angles of the y-sheets f. The elastic bands c surrounding the projections m, formed by said folded strips, hold the sheets l into the papertile, and render it unnecessary to notch such sheets, as in aforesaid pat-ent.

Where the 'contents of the iile are divided up by letters or numbers upon the sheets l, I make use of tags, formed of strips of paper, with the letter or number printed thereon. These strips are pasted and folded as shown in Fig. 6, and the edge ofthe sheet l inserted between the saine, and the parts of the st rip are pressed together so as to be attached by the adhesive material at both surfaces of the sheet l, thereby making the indexniarks much more durablethan those before made.

The projections m maybe formed by tongues that extend from the sheets Zthemselves, or they maybe the separate strips m to unite the sheets in pairs passing from one sheet or projection to the other.

I claim as my inventionm l. The bars a, connected by the links or around thein the elastic bands c, as and for the springs d, in combination with the elastic bands purposes set forth.

c, or theirl equivalents, to draw the bers a to- Signed by me this 5th dey of September,A.

Ward each other and form a clampingie for D. 1872.

papers, as set forth. LAWSON P. KEEGH.

2. The strips m upon the sheets let the ends Witnesses:

projecting beyond the edges of the sheets and GEO. T. PINGKNEY,

uniting such sheets in pairs, and also receiving CHAsA. H. SMITH. 

